Greek and Roman Theaters
For the ancient Greeks, the design of large interiors, mainly for usein temples and private houses, was also applied to theaters where many ofthe now-famous Greek tragedies were often performed in front of thousandsof spectators. The Greek practice "of designing large interiors leddirectly to the later Roman practice and marked a sharp departure fromclassical Greek architecture" (Lawrence, 167) which stressed the exteriorof the building almost as a work of sculpture and left the interior The best example of a Greek theater is that at Epidaurus, andalthough it is late Classical rather than Hellenistic, it contains all thefunctioning units and formal arrangement of later theaters. This semi-circular auditorium is built into the side of a hill and the diameter ofits projected circle is 387 feet. Staircase aisles, laid out on radiiprojecting from the center of the circular orchestra, separate blocks of
The Colosseum "is thelargest of its type and was originally meant for the staging of lavishspectacles, such as battles between animals and the gladiators" (Robertson,78). The exterior walls are 161 feet high and each of the threestories shows the characteristic combination of the Roman arch and vaultconstruction with a typical Greek theater. 2 The oval arena of the Colosseum is surrounded by steeply rising rowsof seats which had a capacity to hold over fifty thousand spectators ascompared to only four or five hundred in the Greek theater at Epidaurus. Thepassageway between the stage and audience on each side is wide enough topermit quick exit. This building, as compared tothe simple design of the Greek theater, is massive and is essentially twofacing theaters enclosing an oval space (the arena). As to the materials used to construct the exterior of the Colosseum,most of it consist of ashlar masonry in which dry-jointed blocks were heldtogether by metal clamps and dowels, much like some examples of Greekarchitecture. Therelation of these openings to the tiers of seats within "was very carefullythought out and may be seen in today's modern football stadiums" (Despouy,179). A good example are the entrance-exit openingsthat allowed rapid filling and emptying of the vast interior space. The orchestra, or proscenium, is arranged for the maximum convenience ofview of the performance and for the preparations of the actors. stone benches which are then separated into two tiers by a broad corridor. Thus, the Colosseum exemplifies the Roman talent for matching publicand private convenience within large-scale service structures that requiredthe enclosure and the spanning of great spaces. In contrast, the best example of a Roman theater is the Colosseum,sometimes called the Flavian Amphitheater. This careful design symbolized the growing concern ofthe Greeks for the convenience of the audience, due to increasingindividual views and responses. Upon comparing the two, it iseasy to see that the Greek designs heavily influenced the later Romantheater, such as the Colosseum.
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,
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roman theater colosseum,
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